County board votes against public prayer to open meetings

County board votes against public prayer to open meetings

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) _ The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors in northwest Iowa has voted against having a public prayer before opening a board meeting.

The Sioux City Journal reports that the board addressed the resolution by board Chairman Matthew Ung at its meeting Tuesday. It would have had supervisors take turns in choosing whether to lead a public prayer or hold a moment of silence. The resolution said the rest of the supervisors could not overturn the decision by the one making the choice.

The board’s current practice is to observe a moment of silence. The four supervisors who voted against allowing the public prayer all said they pray during the weekly moment of silence. But possible legal action over public prayers at public meetings was among the reasons raised against the resolution.
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Information from: Sioux City Journal